All is quiet at our house now. The southern branch of the family packed up their stuff and set off in their car for the journey back to Buckinghamshire. It truly was a flying visit, arriving early Tuesday evening and leaving fairly early this morning. Apart from my having miscounted how many people were going to sit around the table on Tuesday - and even that was okay because our son-in-law decided he was feeling a little queasy, possible from eating of date crab pâté our daughter suggested, and so was not eating - all went well.
The small people decorated the Christmas tree yesterday morning. It’s been looking coolly elegant with nothing more than fairy lights since we installed it in the living room, waiting for the “elves” to be altogether to decorate it further. The smaller cousins, especially the little girls, 8 and 6, are always pleased to get together. I was expecting some tree chaos as this year the three year old was “helping” his sister and cousin, but it all went smoothly. After the tree decorating session we took my daughter’s family dog -yes, he had to come to the family get-together, of course! - for a walk past the duckpond. There we discovered that ducks scorn prawn crackers - left over from the previous evening’s chippy supper. They approached them and turned away, back to the bread which we are not supposed to feed them apparently. So it goes.
And after a light lunch - quiche, a selection of cheeses, good bread - we had an early exchange of presents for the small people. This is something of a tradition we started last year. The general feeling is that if time and effort has been put into selecting Sylvanian Family goods for small girls and Hot Wheels build-your-own racetrack stuff for the small boy, then the givers should benefit from the joy as much as the recipients.
That selection of gifts may seem rather gender-stereotyped but that’s just the way it fell out. We have an ancient farm set which all the grandchildren have played with. The now six year old girl used to sort out all the animals, put them in family groups and invent heartrending stories around them. The three year old boy totally ignores the animals and examines all the machinery and tractors with care. This is despite exactly the same nurturing. However, he does join in the creative and artistic activities - with enthusiasm! This led to just about the only tears of yesterday when all three small people were busily decorating fancy tea light holders with glitter glue and sparkles. He commandeered the pink glitter glue and used most of it, largely putting it on the wipe clean table cover, much to the frustration of his eight year old cousin who had clear plans as to what she wanted to do with said pink glitter glue.
Peace restored, games played, adults bossed around by the three year old to hold his Hot Wheels racetrack in precisely the correct position, eventually we sat down around the table for a family dinner. That was when my daughter decide that the family dog is a bit of a liability with so many people around. Enticed by the smell of food, the normally placid pup became very demanding of attention and even stole food from the small boy’s hand at one point. It has been decided that his cage, where he sleeps and where he spends mealtimes at their house, will be brought along on Christmas Day. It is quite likely that Granddaughter Number One will want to bring her dog as well because if she is left alone in her house he will howl and disrupt Christmas Day for all her neighbours. Maybe this dog also needs a cage. When I signed up to host Christmas I had not taken doggy Christmas into account!
But all will be worked out. It usually is. Here’s Eva Wiseman writing about hosting her first big family Christmas and wondering of that makes her officially an adult. When our children were small we all used to get in the car and head over to my parents’ for Christmas dinner, ideally arriving on Christmas Eve so that we could make some contribution to the preparation and not be accused of doing no more than turn up and eat. Family occasions are famous cor such accusations being bandied around.
And now it’s time I set about making yet another shopping list to ensure that we have all the necessary ingredients for a successfully Christmas dinner on Sunday.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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